GCU Forum - GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools badly

David_134612

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GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools badly
Sep 3^rd, 2010, 4:02am

I just received my 7th order from the new GCU printer and they are as usual- PERFECT .
The minor flecks that occurred on some cards of my 3rd order vanished and now every card ,every bend, and finish is perfect . WELL DONE and delivered unbelievably fast . I ORDERED ON TUE, PRINTED ON WED AND RECEIVED IT THUR MORNING- WOW

This has inspired us to go back and edit all of our 700 cards on GCU, because we want all cards on GCU to be great cards(A+) and not ordinary- great design, great color, great keywords, titles and great inspiring inside text. GCU and its customer deserve it

but this is a HUGE task(estimated 2 months for us) because better software tools are needed by artist than exist in the current GCU web software. Editing one card is a multi step process with many clicks, waiting for refreshes and blind spots where an artist does not see and understand the full card & category mismatches .

BUT EDITING MUST BE DONE and we decided its better to review, perfect ,edit and purchase our cards, before adding any more cards . As we do this, we are pleasantly surprised to see sales increase.

I hope all artist do the same, but they need easier tools
We want all A+ cards worthy of the way GCU prints and delivers.

When i look at GCU cards i want them all to be impressive,
and they currently have lots of room for improvement.

Its the artist job- not the reviewers, to create great perfect cards but GCU must give them tools to do it

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Norma_133903 Senior Member artist Posts: 485	Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad Reply #1 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 11:39am I am not sure I understand you. In what way are you editing your cards? Did you upload substandard cards to start with?
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Mindy GCU Administrator Community Manager Posts: 6567 Gender:	Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad Reply #2 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 1:05pm Hi David, Sounds like a great and admirable effort worth undertaking that will reap rewards RE: new tools please give us a few specific examples.
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Cynthia_136824

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #3 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 1:37pm

Re: because better software tools are needed by artist than exist in the current GCU web software. Editing one card is a multi step process with many clicks, waiting for refreshes and blind spots where an artist does not see and understand the full card & category mismatches .

undecided

I do not understand either...
GCU does not provide the artist with software to edit their cards...(not in the form of image editing the card front anyway) and they do not claim to either!

They clearly explain this where you upload your photos.... :
"The quality of your printed card is a direct result of the quality of the image or photo that you supply!"

Is this what you are referring to? If it is....then that is up to the artist to edit, manipulate or make any other changes they feel they need to make, in another software program ( and there are many software programs that are appropriate and available to perform this task) BEFORE that photo is uploaded on GCU.

Other than GCU being involved with printing of cards and providing a service to it's customers....The image an artist ultimately uploads to their website GOOD OR BAD, is not THEIR RESPONSIBILITY!
If you want A+ photos on your cards ( and I think ALL of us do) then that is what YOU SHOULD PROVIDE to GCU for printing.
I do apologize in advance if I have misunderstood what you are saying, but is sounds like you are referring to photo manipulation software that does not exist on GCU.
Cindy

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Pamela_135500

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #4 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 3:11pm

I maybe wrong but what I believe David is referring to is editing one's cards already in the GCU system, the things we do in the manage cards section.

When you want to make any changes to a card, whether that be changing an image because you realize it is too close to the edge, editing the inside verse with a new verse, updating the title per the newer recommendations, it is a tedious and slow process.

Eg. To edit...you click on a card in manage cards, then you have to choose to edit Title etc OR inside verse. If you wish to makes changes to both areas on one card you cannot do it in one step as after you save a change to title it returns you to the manage cards page and you have to do it over again to change the verse.
Also after each save you are returned to page 1 of your manage cards section. Thus many of us work with multiple windows open so we can refresh and hop back and forth to try to streamline the process! Whew! It's a workout.
I think that's David's point

Pamela

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Cynthia_136824 Full Member artist Posts: 139	Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad Reply #5 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 3:59pm Thanks Pamela! I DO SEE NOW......and I WAS WAY OFF!
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Pamela_135500 Gold Member artist Posts: 1945	Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad Reply #6 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 4:24pm No problem Cynthia I was not trying to correct anyone but having the same frustrations at times, his points sounded very familiar. Of course I may be completely wrong! Pamela
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Randall_140313

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #7 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 4:32pm

Yes, it would be nice if the GCU program was a bit more streamlined and the 'manage cards' are was a lot more user friendly. It is nice when you create one card, to be able to go back in and edit others which are similar.

Ebay has that as one of their isting tools. It's called "Sell Similar". You can clikck on any one of your auctions and if you have a similar item, all you have to do is change the image or any pertinant details you need to and then list.

Very fast and efficient! I'd love to say that about GCU and though they have a great platform, some of the editing features aren't the tops! Some tricks I've find helpful are planning ahead with similar cards listing all those together so you don't have to keep retyping in keywords and artist info, openiing up a second or third browser so you can cut & paste from other card info and learnign to use your windows clipboard to its full potential, there goes the cutting and pasting(copy & paste).

Why ruin a good thing when we're all having soooo much fun! lol

Not! Yes some updated tools wold be nice for our create and manage windows.

Randy

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DENISE_132110

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #8 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 7:35pm

Pamela i think you have it correct and david, i agree completely editing tools that had a streamlined function would be so welcomed. the site is still so very very slow to refresh and navigate. it is not my computer.. every where else i go is very quick, my computer is efficient and powerful.

i do not know what the issue is with the site apart from the way it was described when the new server,perhaps, went in. and though i cannot explain what the changes were and how they affected the site... it is affected.

i still say, though and i have said this before, if i were shopping and had never been here before i would get frustrated and leave. the same thing happens when i try to edit my cards. trying to do changes requires so many different clicks... i have done as randall suggested and have two windows open to try to speed things up, i have used note pad, used several tricks but still i grow frustrated and think how much time i am losing waiting for windows to load and update. it is something i leave to the very last to deal with and most times it just does not get done. i would like to update my store and improve my information, but the time is such a factor when so much of it does not depend on me but on the site.

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Pamela_135500

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #9 - Sep 3^rd, 2010, 7:51pm

Hi Denise,

I too find the pages sooo sloooow to load when editing. I was going to add that to my previous post but thought in some way it may be on my end. I too have a powerful computer and do not experience it consistently anywhere else.
Hearing that you experience the same is helpful.

Hopefully mentioning it here will be helpful to GCU.

Pamela

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David_134612

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #10 - Sep 4^th, 2010, 7:51am

Pamala and denise hit it precisely
While i try, with 800 cards, i often fail to get everything perfect the first time and reviewers do not catch everything . I believe most cards on GCU have weak words , incorrect keywords, misspelling , and card image issues. I want every card from every artist to be the best it can- so we all look great and customers return with friends. Its critical we all have the best so GCU looks great and attracts buyers. We don't need 386,000 weak cards , we need 386,000 great cards on GCU !!

Editing existing cards is necessary to add better over all card focus. Poetic words, better images, better artist notes and keyword references work together to make a great card. I want my cards and cards of every artist on GCU to be great cards, but editing is painful and time consuming. There are many small points that make editing difficult. I will list a few

1) as mentioned GCU takes a long time to update screen on changes

2) once a card is selected, you must edit either edit inside text then return to main or edit details and return to the main, where you must find the card and edit other fields- THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO CONTINUE EDITING OTHER CARD DETAILS rather than having to find card again

3) We need a report that will view or print that shows cards for artist with all details-title,card #,keywords, inside text and category - so artist can easily see mismatches.

4) Need a way to edit next card in artist managed cards

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David_134612

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools
Reply #11 - Sep 7^th, 2010, 8:13am

Quote from Mindy on Sep 3^rd, 2010, 1:05pm:

Hi David,
Sounds like a great and admirable effort worth undertaking that will reap rewards Cheesy

RE: new tools please give us a few specific examples.

To us at valxart, a great card has a theme with a vibrant word hook embedded in colorful art, then it's followed with inspiring words crafted to fit a precise category or categories usage. We want every Valxart card and every GCU card to be great cards and its the artist job to make it happen.
We discovered we often fell short of the great cards we had intended, but no longer.

There are many mismatched cards and each artist must find and fix them and when they do its a real pleasure seeing, buying and sharing cards with friends. People love seeing, opening and reading great inspiring card words. Its the GREETING -BUT IT MUST MATCH IMAGE,CATEGORY , TITLE, AND KEYWORDS TO BE A REALLY GREAT GCU CARD

Artist should see and improve their cards and verify all are great cards because
when customers purchase GREAT GCU cards they and their friends will return to buy more
but its the artist job and no card reviewer can see or fix everything, only the artist can but these slight changes would help artist see what's mismatched or a weak design component.

It helps if artist can easily see all details and a few rough spots changes that would help us all do better job. Artist need to verify card category ,keywords,inside text, and title all combine to make a really great card GREAT! To customers, we are GCU and I want all cards to be GREAT GCU CARDS,

1) The mouse over view of artist managed cards should include category details

2) It would be nice if the the managed card view of artist cards include category info

3) In manage cards section , when you search for a card by ID and enter a number,
it should go directly to the card details and not a 2 step process where you must click link again, wait for refresh and then see all card details- including category. Artist must verify card category matches words,keywords, and title for reviewing

4) Artist need a way to print out report with all card details -card ID, title,keywords, text and category so artist can review and verify all is perfect as intended. It would be great if artist could get export card details for them to import into artist databases. Artist really need to maintain database of cards and export would save vast amount of time

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Deborah_133004

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #12 - Sep 12^th, 2010, 3:46pm

Hi just been reading the previous comments and agree that there are some editing tools that would help.

I have been working on name specific cards so have a lot of them. After loading about 200 I realised that I did not like a piece of text in the verse and went back to change them before they were approved. In order to do that I had to page back several times to find the card edit it make the change then wait while I was put back to the fist page and start all over again to find the next card straight after the one just altered. Just to change I'm to I am. It took days!

I tried to use the sort by status option but found that this will only show you the first page and when you try to page forward it just jumps you back to the all cards first page. Great if you only have a couple of pages not so great if you have more than 10 pages of cards to manage.

Found this particularly annoying when I was trying to check my approved cards while still waiting for pages of pending cards that had been loaded after them.

Also since I decided I needed a break from doing these cards for a bit and decided to do other cards for a while before going back to them I now find it hard to locate these and would love to be able to shift them from the middle of my name specific santa cards. Is it possible to allow artist to sort their "manage cards" some other way than by product number. Like alphabetical or category as this would make it a lot easier to manage, sort and edit.

I understand the frustration of other artist since I've discovered that it almost takes more time to upload, and edit a card than it does to create them.

Hope these examples help

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Eve_138255

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #13 - Sep 12^th, 2010, 5:07pm

Quote from Deborah_133004 on Sep 12^th, 2010, 3:46pm:

Is it possible to allow artist to sort their "manage cards" some other way than by product number. Like alphabetical or category as this would make it a lot easier to manage, sort and edit.

I agree. The most frustrating issue I have with GCU, is the inability to sort my cards easily.

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Kathleen_137290

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Re: GCU is GREAT but artist need editing tools bad
Reply #14 - Sep 12^th, 2010, 5:43pm

Quote from Deborah_133004 on Sep 12^th, 2010, 3:46pm:

Hi just been reading the previous comments and agree that there are some editing tools that would help.

I have been working on name specific cards so have a lot of them. After loading about 200 I realised that I did not like a piece of text in the verse and went back to change them before they were approved. In order to do that I had to page back several times to find the card edit it make the change then wait while I was put back to the fist page and start all over again to find the next card straight after the one just altered. Just to change I'm to I am. It took days!

I tried to use the sort by status option but found that this will only show you the first page and when you try to page forward it just jumps you back to the all cards first page. Great if you only have a couple of pages not so great if you have more than 10 pages of cards to manage.

Found this particularly annoying when I was trying to check my approved cards while still waiting for pages of pending cards that had been loaded after them.

Also since I decided I needed a break from doing these cards for a bit and decided to do other cards for a while before going back to them I now find it hard to locate these and would love to be able to shift them from the middle of my name specific santa cards. Is it possible to allow artist to sort their "manage cards" some other way than by product number. Like alphabetical or category as this would make it a lot easier to manage, sort and edit.

I understand the frustration of other artist since I've discovered that it almost takes more time to upload, and edit a card than it does to create them.

Hope these examples help

Deborah,

In regard to editing inside verse. Here's a neat trick that was given to me by other artists here that works well:

Get on page of cards you want to edit (let's call it the main page). Right click on inside text and open it in a new window. Make changes and save. Close the new window. On your main page move to next card you want to edit and repeat procedure. (Changes will not show on the main page you are working from. However if you hit the reload button for that page, the changes will come up and you will stay in the same place. I usually don't do this unless I loose my place.) I can speedily do quite a large number of cards this way.

Hope that helps until there is a better method.
Kati

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